Senate confirms ‘new-generation’ service chiefs

The senate has confirmed the appointment of the service chiefs after a screening that lasted more than four hours.

The senate had gone into an executive session to screen the military chiefs at 11:30am, but resumed “open session” at‎ 4:05 pm.

Ali Ndume, senate leader, moved the motion for the senate to go into a closed-session while Godswill Akpabio, minority leader, seconded it.

TheCable understands that ‎the senate made the screening of the service chiefs closed owing to the sensitive security posers it sought answers for.

Also, the current security challenges in the northeast and other parts of the country dominated the subject of the screening.

Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (chief of defence staff‎), Tukur Yusufu Buratai (chief of army staff), Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (chief of Naval staff), and Sadique Baba Abubakar (chief of air staff) were appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13.

And in a letter read by the senate president, on the floor of the senate last Tuesday, Buhari said he was seeking the approval of the senate to comply with the extant laws of the country.

“In compliance with section 18 (1) of the armed forces Act (CAP820) laws of the federal republic of Nigeria 2004, I hereby forward the names of the underlisted officers for the kind confirmation of the federal republic of Nigeria,” he had written.

The screening, which was initially scheduled for last Thursday, was postponed to Tuesday owing to the unavoidable absence of the service chiefs.

Speaking after the confirmation of the military chiefs, Bukola Saraki, the senate president, observed that their appointment was on merit.

“Having successfully completed the screening, I congratulate the‎ service chiefs. It is clear their appointment is based on merit,” he said.

“It is coming at a crucial time, particularly with the insurgency and oil theft. We hope that their performance will yield result. We believe as a new generation they will do a good job. They must work to root out corruption.”

Saraki noted that among the issues discussed with the service chiefs were the ‎worsening case of oil theft in the Niger Delta, as well as the insurgency in the northeast.

Afterwards, he announced that a dele‎gation of lawmakers led by Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, would be leaving for Adamawa state in continuation of the senate’s effort to assess the impact of the insurgency on citizens in the northeast.

The senate will resume on Wednesday.